Car coupling



Nov. 3, 1931. 1. ANDREWS 1,830,587

CAR COUPLING Filed April 2. 1928 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES JOI-IN ANDREWS, OF GLOUSTER, OHIO CAR COUPLING- Application filed April 2, 1928. Serial No. 266,729.y

This invention relates to the class of railway draft appliances and pertains particularly to a car coupling structure.

rIhis invention has for its primary object the provision of a coupling structure which will act to absorb some of the jars incident to the starting of a number of connected Icars.

Another' object is to provide a coupling structure which is strong and durable, easy to manipulate and comparatively inexperisive to manufacture and set up.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications marl; no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure l shows the coupling structure in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with a portion of a casing removed to show interior structure.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken transversely of the structure upon the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates a portion of a car body which rests upon the usual sill structure 2.

Mounted upon the sill 2 centrally thereof, is a casing or housing indicated as a whole by the numeral 3, this housing being of o elongated rectangular form and extending longitudinally of the |car. The housing 3 comprises the side wall portionsv 4, a removable top 5 and a removable forward end wall S, which wall is provided with a pair of vertically extending spaced substantially parallel slots 7. e

1Within the housing 3 is a smaller elongated casing indicated as a whole by the numeral 8, which casing comprises the top portion 9, 6:3 preferably formed integral with the front wall or plate 6 of the i'ncasing housing, the side walls 10 and the rear wall 11. rlhe rear wall of this inner casing is of substantially L-shaped configuration thus providing the 6H base portion 12 which rests upon the floor plate 13 of the housing to which it is secured by the screw 1li or any` other appropriate securing elements. l

rink elongated' relatively broad coupling link `15 extends into the housing 3 from the forward end thereof, the side members 16 of" the link passing through the vertical` slots 7 in the front wall'of the housing, the inner short cross portion 17, passing through the longitudinally extending slots 18 which are formed in the side walls 10 of the inner casing.

rlhe portion 17 of the coupling link 15 eX- tends across a head member 19 seating in a groove 20 formed transversely thereof. This head member has an extension 21 formed upon one face thereof as shownv in Figure 3, which extension engages in one end of a helical spring 22. The other end of this spring receives therein the stud 23 carried by the wall 6 and extending into the forward end of the casing 8, in the manner shown. Any number of additional links may be connected with the coupling link 15 as shown and indiated by the numerals 24.

To assist the car brakeman in handling the coupling links from one side of the car, there is provided a lifting mechanism including a shaft 25 which extends transversely of the car platform 2 projecting at its end, beyond V90 each side thereof and terminating in the crank handle 26, the ends of the shaft being mounted in the bearings 27 which are secured to the car platform in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2. Intermediate its ends, the shaft 25 is formed to provide the crank 28 which projects forwardly of the housing 3 in the manner shown, to engage beneath and sup-V port one of the coupling links 211.

For the purpose of holding the crank 287100 and shaft 25 in set position a collar 29 is fixed to each end of the shaft 25 in which a notch 30 is formed. A pawl 31 is secured to each side of the car platform or sill and is adapted to be swung upwardly for engagement of the free end thereof in the notch of the adjacent collar 29 to hold the shaft against turning. l

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the coupling structure herein described provides an improved resilient draft means for cars by means of which movement of the cars can be effected without the usual jolts and jars.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

A car coupling struct-ure comprising a housing, having a front plate provided with vertical slots on each side of its vertical center, sidel plates extending rearwardly from the front plate inwardly of the vertical slots, a head confined between the side plates for movement longitudinally thereof provided with a diametrically extending groove in its outer face. an expansion coil spring arranged between the side plates and engaging the head and the front plate, an elongated link including spaced parallel side bars and end connecting bars, the side bars extending through the vertical slots and engaging the outer faces of the side plates, one connecting end bar extending through the longitudinal slots in the Vside plates and engaging ther groove in the head, and a coupling link en-Y gaging the other end bar.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

JOHN ANDREWS. 

